Scammers impersonating fire authorities have repeatedly targeted local hotels, guesthouses, and vacation rentals, pressuring them into buying firefighting equipment. Authorities are warning residents to stay alert.
On the 10th, the Gangwon Fire Headquarters said investigators confirmed incidents in which fraudsters posed as the fire department and sent official-looking letters and text messages to coerce purchases of specific firefighting items, including lithium-ion battery fire extinguishers and smothering-type suppression devices.
They used threats such as “fines for missing fire extinguishers” to create urgency and reportedly demanded bank authentication or other financial information.
In response, the provincial fire agency sent formal notices to associations representing hotels and other public accommodation operators, outlining example scams and recommended steps for responding.
Fire Chief Oh Seung-hoon urged anyone who receives suspicious official letters, calls, or texts to verify the information directly with their local fire station.
